What technologies exist to integrate 3D content with web-site?

Question

I am web-developer. I would like to integrate 3D Content into my web-site. The level of integration should allow something like 3D Cube floating above HTML Content. Moreover, I want 3D Content to be interactive, i.e. one should be able to click on certain side of the cube and get some JavaScript code executed in same way as if somebody clicked a button.

I have seen some demos with CSS3 3D Transforms in HTML 5. It's even possible to render HTML Content on 3D Objects like images and buttons, but they don't seem to allow something as sophisticated as floating cube.

Is it possible today? Which technologies should I use?

Answer 1

To get that sort of interactivity easily, you'll likely want a flash movie with a transparent background. As for the javascript-integreation, you should look into the ExternalInterface class of ActionScript 3.

The ExternalInterface class is the External API, an application programming interface that enables straightforward communication between ActionScript and the Flash Player container– for example, an HTML page with JavaScript. Adobe recommends using ExternalInterface for all JavaScript-ActionScript communication.

Answer 2

After some research online found XML3D and X3DOM projects. They offer integration with DOM and JavaScript, XML-like scene description and even programmable shaders. Seems that it's exactly what I was looking for, however both projects are still in development :(.